From the NW Herald:The odds of a lame-duck income tax increase, already pretty remote, became even more of a long shot with a significant majority of Illinois House lawmakers now on the record opposed to it.House Resolution 1494, which opposes any effort to raise taxes in the final days of session in January, passed on an 87-12 vote Wednesday. With almost three-fourths of the House backing the House bill, local Reps. David McSweeney, R-Barrington Hills, and Jack Franks, D-Marengo, consider a lame-duck tax increase dead in the water. McSweeney filed the resolution, and Franks the constitutional amendment, and both lawmakers have co-sponsored each other’s bills.With a six-month stopgap budget set to expire at the end of the year, and ongoing talk of a “grand compromise” budget deal between Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate, McSweeney and Franks were concerned that an effort would be made to ram a deal through in the final days of session.“I hope this kills a massive tax increase. Eighty-seven members stood up and said no tax increase during a lame-duck session,” McSweeney said.